Who We Are

Our History

“…to give those high school students who demonstrate superior talent and achievement in things of the spirit and of the mind at least a fraction of the honors and rewards accorded to their athletic classmates for demonstrating their bodily skills.” –Maurice R. Robinson, Founder

Since 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have recognized the vision, ingenuity, and talent of our nation’s youth, and provided opportunities for creative teens to be celebrated. Each year, increasing numbers of teens participate in the program, and become a part of our community—young artists and writers, filmmakers and photographers, poets and sculptors, video game artists and science fiction writers—along with countless educators who support and encourage the creative process.

Our Mission

The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards are presented by the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. The Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to identify students with exceptional artistic and literary talent and present their remarkable work to the world through the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. The Awards give students opportunities for recognition, exhibition, publication, and scholarships. Students across America submitted nearly 320,000 original works this year in 29 different categories of art and writing.

Our Alumni

Since their founding, the Awards have established an amazing track record for identifying the early promise of our nation’s most accomplished and prolific creative leaders. Alumni include artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Mozelle Thompson, Hughie Lee-Smith, and John Baldessari; writers Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Bernard Malamud, Marc Brown, Myla Goldberg, and Joyce Carol Oates; photographer Richard Avedon; actors Frances Farmer, Robert Redford, Alan Arkin, Lena Dunham, and John Lithgow; fashion designer Zac Posen; and filmmakers Stan Brakhage, Ken Burns, and Richard Linklater. Outside the arts, Awards alumni employ their creativity to be successful in any number of ways—becoming leaders in fields including journalism, medicine, finance, government and public service, the law, science, design, and more. In 2015, opportunities such as Alumni Microgrants and an Alumni Writer’s Residency were created.

Our Partners

Today, we work with approximately 100 Affiliate Partners across the country to bring the Awards to local communities. Students are also eligible for Special Achievement Awards, supported by a variety of generous corporations and foundations, and for special honors like the National Student Poets Program, a joint project between the Institute for Museum and Library Services and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. We are also joined by our Scholarship Partners to provide additional opportunities to students.

Our Future

Year after year the Scholastic Awards program grows with increased participation from students and increasing scholarships and recognition opportunities. With nearly a century of history behind us and a bright future ahead, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards have grown to be the nation’s longest-running, most prestigious recognition initiative for creative teens, and the largest source of scholarships for young artists and writers. Join us as a student, educator, juror, Affiliate Partner, Scholarship Partner, or supporter and claim your place within our nation’s creative legacy.

Our Sponsors

The Alliance is grateful to the generosity of the many individuals, foundations, corporations, and government agencies who support our work to create meaningful opportunities to young artists and writers. Please consider making a contribution to the future of creativity today!